We have played about 8 or so games, I (mom), my 2 daughters and various friends. First, I read and reread the book, summarized several times in documents to try and help me GM. (My memory is not great and there is a lot to remember). We don’t play very often because every time feels like a huge endeavor for me to plan a mission (and reread in order to remember the rules.) I am redoubling my efforts now and hope to get the hang of it so we can play more often. And I’d like to get feedback on some of my common problems.
My daughters loved the process of creating characters so much that they have created about 5 characters each that they love. So, each game that we play is played with varying characters. I read that mentors, parents, contacts etc. are used often and creatively in the process of the game. But because they use different characters each time, I find it difficult to remember anything about their circles and difficult to play them into the game. Should I have them stick with a single character for awhile?
Likewise, with each change of character, I never know who is going to play. I create a mission and then they bring a character to the table. That makes it difficult for me to plan a mission that will challenge their beliefs, instincts and traits or make use of their skills or wises. I make note of them, but its hard for me to do on the fly. Is it just me? Should I be able to do this with no forethought? (It would not be the first time I had to simply compensate for my lack of memory ;). I’d like to plan up 5 or 10 missions and be able to pull them out at a moment’s notice, but does that even make sense if the pre-prepared mission can not take into account the uniqueness of each mouse?
I feel we are not good at earning checks. If we concentrate, we do sometimes earn 1 or 2. I thought that couldn’t nearly be enough, because our Player’s Turn runs so poorly. But I’ve been reading that going in to the Player’s Turn with 2 checks is not uncommon. Perhaps it is just that we do not know how to properly use the Player’s Turn? Our GM turn usually lasts 2-3 hours (a couple times it has been more) and the Player’s Turn 30 minutes maybe. Mostly they just used it for buying things or treating conditions. I’ve always (except for our last mission) ended each session with an accomplished goal. So, perhaps I need to end the session before they accomplish their goal? I’d like to spur them to use the Player’s Turn fully, but I’m not sure I yet have a vision for its potential.
And, trailing on that last question? How does one typically end the GM’s turn? As I said, we’ve just always ended because the mission was accomplished. Our last session also ended with a mission accomplished (they returned to Lockhaven), but when they entered the gates they discovered that the dead body was not who they were given to believe he was. And then I ended it. So, if the mission is not actually over, do I say, “Ok, that’s the end of the GM turn?” And that’s that?
I probably have more questions but I can’t remember them. Thank you for your consideration.
I’m fairly new to running an ongoing Mouse Guard game myself, but I’m a veteran player and GM of RPGs in general, so maybe I can be helpful.
I think the best thing to do here is to make yourself some cheat sheets. I like to use index cards. You make up a template card with space to write in the character’s name, their friends, enemies, etc. Hand them to the players and ask them to fill them out. That way you’re making them do some of your preparation work, and helping yourself with something to reference when playing.
On this point, you have a few options. You can either ask them to limit themselves to just one character until everyone gets more familiar with the game and you get some momentum going, or you can dictate which character they can use for each mission. I did something else that might be helpful in a different game that plays much like Mouse Guard. I would have my NPC that grants missions (or Gwendolyn in Mouse Guard) contact the leader of the group. The leader would be told what the mission was, and what type of help she would need. It would then be up to that leader character to recruit the rest of the team. So, if the mission called for a good Hunter, the leader would be compelled to recruit that character. This lets them play the characters they want, within reason. You also get to make sure they have the right mice on each mission.
I’m really struggling with this one too. My group is very focused on succeeding on every roll, and they rarely want to hamper themselves to earn checks. We also often forget that it’s even an option. I think the more we play, and the more skilled the characters become, the more likely they will want to earn checks by using their own traits against themselves.
I have started ending my turn by saying something like, “Okay, who wants to spend the first check now.” They know it’s the player’s turn, and they can start talking to each other about what they want to get done. I know it can sound awkward to simply ask like that, because you’re breaking some of your game immersion, but my group doesn’t really mind breaking immersion too much. We have a harder time keeping things in-character at the table anyway.
That’s not a bad idea. I would encourage players to stick with a PC for 2-3 sessions consecutively. If they can be patient throughout a number of sessions to have a Winter session, that might help solidify a single PC for a time. Another alternative may be to encourage (or request) a PC in your campaign, then a different PC in another GM’s campaign; this assumes that sometimes your daughters attempt running a campaign as GM. This helps a solid group of PCs form and norm under a GM, while allowing the players variety also.
Likewise, with each change of character, I never know who is going to play. I create a mission and then they bring a character to the table. That makes it difficult for me to plan a mission that will challenge their beliefs, instincts and traits or make use of their skills or wises. I make note of them, but its hard for me to do on the fly. Is it just me? Should I be able to do this with no forethought? (It would not be the first time I had to simply compensate for my lack of memory ;). I’d like to plan up 5 or 10 missions and be able to pull them out at a moment’s notice, but does that even make sense if the pre-prepared mission can not take into account the uniqueness of each mouse?
hmm, you’ve described an interesting challenge. I agree that you can build a collection–or recipe box–of missions which are customized by the GM and ready for play. I think that is a good idea and reasonable practice for a GM. Also, you describe just the sort of engagement for BIGs (Beliefs Instincts Goals) that helps the game and story work together. Involving Traits, Skills, and Wises is something I generally place on the shoulders of the players, but a GM who takes notice is practicing a good habit. Involving relationships is another challenging factor for a GM–particularly if the NPC seems to stay in one spot, but you’ve got pre-built missions in other places.
I have been away from face-to-face GMing for a few years, and my play-by-post experience gives additional time for the forethought you are asking about. I feel hesitant to jump back to GMing a table face-to-face; because, I’m acclimatized to the reflection time from play-by-post. However, in contrast to that, from the time I spent thinking about greater depth and breadth of characters and story events, I did gain some habits for looking at multi-faceted perspectives. In other words, I can see more than two sides of a story, and that is helpful. So, I don’t think you are attempting the wrong thing; I think you’re describing the challenge very clearly–improvising multi-threaded stories with limited time to adjust for each mouse!–that’s a challenge.
My advice for it is two parts.
First, reduce the number of unique touchpoints per mouse. This might mean: GM will try to challenge Belief, guide the assigned mission, and manage obstacles; players must watch for Instinct trigger for their own PC and of another player, work toward Goal whether easy or hard, imagine how/why a relationship appears in the story. Alternately, this might mean: GM will try to challenge Belief, manage obstacles, and imagine how/why a relationship appears in the story; players work toward Goal, Patrol Leader guides assigned mission, Guardmice look for Instinct triggers for each other, and Tenderpaw pokes at everyone’s Traits. There are other ways that could be divided, but the overall objective returns to my first advice: reduce the number of unique touchpoints per mouse; focus the GM on a few things, then tell players to pick up the slack (if they feel there is any slack).
Second, narrate foreshadow, and teach players to narrate foreshadow. This is a storyteller tool, and will take practice, but pays off big-time for GM and players. Foreshadow the possible obstacles and twists in a short session welcome; that gives everyone a sort of clue about what obstacles might happen and the risks of failed dice rolls. For example, “The patrol’s mission is a routine path-clearing duty along several short routes between Lockhaven and nearby villages; at least three patrols are assigned each Spring, but this sometimes leads to quarreling and competition. The chilly weather has given way, but early heat is what the crickets seem to be chirping about; early heat also gives snakes an early wake-up call.” That foreshadows the mission might be interrupted by a Mice obstacle of other Guard members competing or arguing with the patrol; it foreshadows a Weather obstacle which might connect to an Animal Twist. Even at this point, no mention of BIGs nor of Skills, Wises, or Traits has really been spoken–the GM has an easily pre-built mission with two possible Obstacles, Conditions of Success, and a Twist. Teaching players to foreshadow is a huge reward, and I don’t believe it is hard to do. Have players describe how they do something, such as telling what their Guardmouse does when facing an obstacle, and ask what might happen if it doesn’t go perfect. Then listen closely for the clues. For example, GM narrates the patrol visiting a rough & tumble part of town shortly after supper time, they see a thuggish mouse pulling around a younger mouse by the ear and berating the youth for something failed or forgotten; players responds, “Oh, I see them treating another mouse unkind? No way! I won’t stand for that. I’m going to step in, show off my cloak, and tell that thug to stop right now.” As GM, you simply pause, (don’t let dice roll yet), and ask for more. Ask, “that sounds just like you, but what might happen if you do that?” Now the player gets to foreshadow what they think might happen, which tells you the sort of risks they are willing to embrace, “Well, you said he is a thuggish mouse, and this might be his kid or apprentice, so I might get an insult in response, or he might be ready to fight me over calling him out. I’ll have to be ready to fight back.” So, there is the foreshadow, and you haven’t had to make up anything just yet as GM; the players can identify the risks, and imagine possible outcomes. Listen to the table chatter, and encourage foreshadowing. (Sometimes it sounds like metagaming, but if you are careful, you can take advantage.)
I feel we are not good at earning checks. If we concentrate, we do sometimes earn 1 or 2. I thought that couldn’t nearly be enough, because our Player’s Turn runs so poorly. But I’ve been reading that going in to the Player’s Turn with 2 checks is not uncommon. Perhaps it is just that we do not know how to properly use the Player’s Turn? Our GM turn usually lasts 2-3 hours (a couple times it has been more) and the Player’s Turn 30 minutes maybe. Mostly they just used it for buying things or treating conditions. I’ve always (except for our last mission) ended each session with an accomplished goal. So, perhaps I need to end the session before they accomplish their goal? I’d like to spur them to use the Player’s Turn fully, but I’m not sure I yet have a vision for its potential.
I agree that entering a Player Turn with 1-3 checks Total is fairly typical and normal. Keep in my that everyone gains a free check as the PT begins. Here is a link to a piece I wrote about enriching the Player Turn (link). That might give great ideas, but I have also been thinking of a specific advice for your table.
I would not tell this to just anyone, but there is something specific about your description which shines for me. You describe this is your daughters and some friends. You’ve got a fairly close-knit group I imagine. Also, although the PCs seem to constantly change, there are players which will never change. So, that creates an environment where you can really learn some neat tricks.
Say, “Yes,” to more things. That’s the biggest step you can take as GM. Consider reflecting on what is most important about creating a challenge in the Player Turn. For buying things and going places and finding other mice, sometimes (sometimes) that simply isn’t the challenging part; just, say, “yes, now what are you going to do?”
So, a player says, “I’m going to get a new gadget; I really needed a gadget out in our mission, but didn’t have it. Is this a Resources test?” GM response: “Not a test; you head out in search of your gadget and find a mouse who will trade it for a song. Now what do you want to spend a Check on?”
So, a player says, “I’ve got to overcome Hungry then Tired before I can even attempt Sick; I guess my free check goes to buying food.” GM response: “You cloakmice solved a big problem, and there is a friendly mouse inviting you to eat and rest at their burrow all week; you lose Hungry and Tired; what do you want to do with a Check?”
Continue to say, “Yes!” until they really hit on something that tells a story. Buying stuff–sometimes that tells a story; recovery–sometimes that tells a story. But. You are describing exactly the things I was seeing too often in Player Turns both in face-to-face games and play-by-post games: Resources, Circles, and Recovery told no story, but was taking up all the Checks. So, for your table I give advice I simply don’t give out for just anyone. Say, “Yes!” to more stuff, and really drive for the story telling choices that are worth spending Checks on.
Now, I’ve got to follow-up with a bit of extra advice. The players will learn to earn Checks more (there are some other ways to encourage them in gaining Checks), and you can reduce how often you say, “Yes!” as they come into the Player Turn with 2-3 Checks per Mouse. You’ll feel that out according to what you want to.
As a final piece of advice on this topic, you can also say, “Yes, but not yet.” This is an excellent method of redirection. For example, a player wants to travel from a village to a city; you can say, “Sure, that’s not a problem, but you can’t just leave yet, there are other things to address right here and now.” If they really want to make the trip: spend that Check for ‘NOW’ or patiently wait for the check-free travel. If a player can choose to spend the Check for ‘NOW’ or spend the Check for something else, but get the ‘I want this’ freely, then the player might get creative about using the Check. It can cause a feeling of wasting a Check in exchange for something that can be gained freely for a bit of patience.
Game design is mind control.
And, trailing on that last question? How does one typically end the GM’s turn? As I said, we’ve just always ended because the mission was accomplished. Our last session also ended with a mission accomplished (they returned to Lockhaven), but when they entered the gates they discovered that the dead body was not who they were given to believe he was. And then I ended it. So, if the mission is not actually over, do I say, “Ok, that’s the end of the GM turn?” And that’s that?
Yep, that’s about how I pull that transition too. Of course, in play-by-post format there was a bit more narration, but face-to-face games had less ceremony. I would tell the group the GM Turn was complete and the Player Turn was theirs. Usually tons of table chatter commenced as everyone started to imagine how to get stuff done.
Kenneth, Thank you so much!! This was so helpful! So many great ideas, so clearly explained. I’m going to try my first Winter Session today and it remains to be seen whether it will be a true winter session or a mission, because we have some unfinished business. However, this time or next, I will be trying out your ideas and undoubtedly have more questions. I hope to find you still on this forum :).
Edain, Thank you as well. I didn’t see that you had responded. It looked funny on my phone and I kept wondering why Burning wheel was calling me Cattle Slave ;). (I’m not very technology oriented.) Anyway, thank you for your ideas. I’m going to try them too :). We are lucky. Our table chatter and character immersion flows back and forth very well.
